Obviously Sony’s DPT-S1 (Digital Paper) has had a monopoly on this market and everything else thus far has been tech demos and vaporware.
Presently both Pocketbook and Onyx have been giving indications that their would-be products are coming towards actually becoming available. Pocketbook has their Pocketbook CAD Flex (
http://goodereader.com/blog/electron...-released-soon) with a Taobao listing, for whatever that’s worth. Meanwhile Onyx has a slightly Chinglish advert (“handwritting”) apparently naming the product as the Boox Max (
http://www.alibaba.com/product-detai...399426767.html) and and apparent target of a Q1 release according to an apparent copy of an e-mail repeated in the comments at goodereader.
Quote:
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Thanks for your email, as you know ONYX BOOX is a eink reader manufactory, for ONYX company we could not define screen resolution, we develop our ereader models according to eink screen factory (PVI, Taiwanese factory). Now we're developing 13.3" e-reader with digitiz stylus touch. If you need big size model, maybe you can wait for this model, we plan to release it in Q1, welcome to visit our official website www.onyx-international.com
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Booxtor had suggested in November a Q2 2016 release followed 6 months later by a “plus” version with a processor upgrade and 2gb ram. Apparently he hasn’t been around here lately though.
Now there are two different Pocketbook CAD products mooted, with a slightly odd mish-mash of specifications (the CAD Flex with 1.5Ghz processor but just 512 mb of ram; the CAD with 1Ghz, processor but a huge 2gb of ram). Based on the packaging, the Flex appears to be the product getting closer to market.
Then there’s the NotesNote – yet to be named, set to produce a “test set” in April, from the UK/Estonia. Theirs is to be a dual 13’ screen affair aimed primarily as a music reader. Nate Hoffelder has conjectured that “this would cost at least $1,300”, based on the Sony Digital Paper’s price (also said he didn’t think it would make it).
At the periphery there’s also the Dasung Paperlike as a second screen (out now, but with an odd sales method from what I’ve heard and some complaints, and somewhat outside the main premise of an e-reader here), Netronix’s 13’ tech demo , and the Noteslate Hero (
http://the-digital-reader.com/2015/1...g-slate-video/) which has been floating around for a while but with some scepticism as to whether it will ever get to market.
What does anyone think on the chances of these products (or any others in this type)
- Making it to getting sold (and if so when? This year?)
- Being (easily) available in Europe and/or North America.
- Being available at a relatively “reasonable” price (DPT-S1’s price always felt a bit gauge-y, the more so because limited release has meant ridiculous eBay prices).
I guess I’m just hoping for some competition so I don’t end up getting tired of waiting and overpaying for Sony’s device.